PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to meet with House of Representatives Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco on Tuesday, September 29, 2020, in a bid to resolve the leadership row at the lower chamber.
“There will be a meeting tomorrow between Representatives Velasco and Cayetano,” PDP-Laban executive director Ronwald Munsayac told SunStar in a message.
He also confirmed that Velasco will be joined by his allies in the House.
“Representative Velasco will be accompanied by party leaders and coalition allies from the House of Representatives,” Munsayac said.
Velasco earlier Monday urged Cayetano to uphold the term-sharing agreement that Duterte brokered in July 2019.
Under the agreement, Cayetano is supposed to serve as House Speaker until September 30, 2020.
Velasco is supposed to take over beginning October 2020 and serve as Speaker for the rest of the 18th Congress.
Cayetano, however, has shown no indication of stepping down. His allies in the House have also urged that he be retained as Speaker.
Malacañang earlier said Duterte will not interfere this time.
Quoting the President, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the President could not do anything if Velasco does not have the numbers to gain the highest post in the House.
In July 2019, the President brokered a term-sharing deal between Cayetano and Velasco to resolve the House speakership row. (Jove Moya/SunStar Philippines)